Somalia: CSOs Fight Back to Protect Civic Space.
Hargeisa – CSO Roundtable Discussion 
Hargeisa – CSO Roundtable Discussion
Narrative Report
Roundtable Discussion: Obstacles to Free Assembly, Association, and Expression in Somalia – Operational Challenges Facing CSOs and Recommended Solutions
Location: Maansoor Hotel, Hargeisa
Date: February 2025
1. Introduction
The Coalition of Somali Human Rights Defenders (CSHRD) is a non-government, non-partisan human rights organization registered under the Non-Governmental Act in Somalia. The key mandate of CSHRD is to advocate and promote human rights with specific focus on the protection of human rights defenders (HRDs) who are at risk, especially those advocating for gender equality, minority rights, Civic Space and against GBV.
The Somaliland Women Lawyers Association (SWLA) is a women’s legal rights organization dedicated to advancing women’s rights in Somaliland through legal assistance, advocacy, and policy reform. SWLA is significant in the delivery of legal representation to victims of human rights violations and promoting legislative change to protect civic freedoms.
This roundtable was jointly hosted by CSHRD (lead facilitator and coordinator) and SWLA (co-facilitator and legal expert partner). The session brought together civil society actors to chart and discuss obstacles to civic freedoms—i.e., the rights to free assembly, association, and expression—and to collectively propose solutions.
The outcome of this discussion will inform a top-level implementation and advocacy plan targeting both district and national policy intervention.
2. Objectives of the Roundtable
Main Objective
To provide an enabling and secure environment for the stakeholders to discuss challenges to civic freedoms in Somalia and share practical, actionable solutions towards strengthening civil society organizations (CSOs).
Specific Objectives
1. Strengthen networks and collaboration among Somali CSOs.
2. Encourage knowledge sharing and best practice transfer.
3. Position CSHRD as the bridge in terms of collaboration and resilience building among Somali CSOs.
4. Address the declining civic space in Somalia with specific focus on women’s organizations.
3. Methodology
The roundtable utilized an adult participatory approach that encouraged free discussion, contextual problem-solving, and active engagement. Facilitating skills were:
Plenary discussion to enable diverse perspectives.
PowerPoint presentation to situate issues in context with facts and figures.
Flipchart brainstorming to highlight challenges and solutions together.
Group work for analysis in-depth of specific themes.
Role plays to simulate advocacy and negotiation scenarios.
Q&A sessions to demystify myths and increase understanding.
The debates were dynamic and interactive, with lively participation of ideas by the participants based on their organizational and personal experiences.
4. Participants
The training program had 35 participants, more than 70% of whom were women. The participants included:
Representatives of civil society organizations (women’s and youth-based organizations).
Government officials from concerned departments.
Human rights defenders and activists.
Media practitioners and journalists.
Community leaders.
This mixed composition ensured effective sharing of experience and perspectives, particularly from grass roots actors and women leaders.
5. Facilitation Team
The roundtable was co-facilitated by:
Yasmin Abdi, Executive Director of SWLA – Lead facilitator, to ensure discussion is led, individuals are encouraged to contribute, and the legal and gender equality dimensions were addressed.
CSHRD Facilitation Team – Ensured coordination assistance, facilitated group processes, documented proceedings, and facilitated easy implementation of the agenda.
6. Summary of Key Discussions
The session began with a welcome and introduction session, followed by opening remarks by Yasmin Abdi. She emphasized the need to preserve civic freedoms in Somalia, especially at the start of a new year, which offers an opportunity for reflection and long-term planning.
6.1 Obstacles to Civic Freedoms
A number of challenges were highlighted by the participants:
Decreasing humanitarian and development funds, which places CSOs in intense competition.
Absence of safeguarding policies and regulations defending the work of CSOs and HRDs.
Restrictions on freedom of movement for activists, including restrictions on visiting international advocacy events.
Over-reliance on short-term donor grants, undermining long-term sustainability.
Weak governance and leadership in some CSOs, affecting credibility and performance.
Limited technical competency in fundraising, proposal writing, and strategic communications.
6.2 Strategic Insights
CSO cooperation is often fragmented, with repetition of effort and competition for funding.
Most donors still remain reluctant to engage with local CSOs due to perceived capacity gaps.
Women’s organisations are subject to double marginalisation—both civil society and entrenched gender discrimination.
7. Group Activities and Outcomes
The participants were divided into smaller groups to brainstorm challenges and provide suggestions.
Challenges Originating:
Constrained and politicized funding.
No viable local source of funds.
Insecurity and conflict.
No identification by the authorities.
Weak internal capacity in governance and administration.
Solutions Proposed:
1. Diversification of funding sources – Research local philanthropy, membership donations, and partnership with the private sector.
2. Campaign for facilitatory legislation – Support legislation that promotes civic freedoms and recognizes the CSO role.
3. Capacity-building programs – Specialized training in proposal writing, fundraising, communication, and governance.
4. Security and risk management – Develop and enact measures to protect HRDs and organizational assets.
5. Coalition formations – Construct institutional coalitions and networks for joint lobbying and information sharing.
8. Mutual Agreement Action Points
After conclusion of the deliberations, members made the following commitments:
Establishing a multi-CSO task force to sustain dialogue and monitor the civic space context.
Developing quarterly capacity building workshops for CSOs, supported by CSHRD and SWLA.
Developing an integrated advocacy strategy with a focus on legal reforms on freedom of assembly, association, and expression.
Creating a resource-sharing site among engaged CSOs to reduce competition and foster solidarity.
9. Conclusion
The roundtable was successful in creating a working and solution-finding setting where predominantly women civil society leaders could openly discuss the barriers to civic freedoms within Somalia. The presence of both CSHRD and SWLA ensured that the discussions touched on both human rights protection as well as legal frameworks required to safeguard such rights.
Participants left the meeting with a reinforced sense of solidarity, a set of tangible commitments, and an enduring appreciation that sustained cooperation and strategic lobbying are needed to expand and protect civic space in Somalia.
Source: CSHRD
